Nominations for the Louis M. Dicarlo Award for Clinical Achievement, the Frank R. Kleffner Clinical Career Award, the Paula J. Gober Public Schools Award, Honors of the Association, the Research Award and the Audiology Award will be accepted by the ArkSHA Honors and Awards Committee around the first half of each year, until July 15th.

Need to know more about each category? See the details and past recipients below:

Honors of the Association - Honors of the Association is the highest honor the association can give and recognizes distinguished contributions to the field of communication disorders. It is limited to members of the Association

1985 Martha Anderson

1985 Jane H. LeBlanc

1985 James Montague

1986 Joanna Davis

1987 George Herndon

1988 Lillian Blakesley

1989 Virginia Berry

1990 Elaine McNiece

1991 Terri Hutton

1992 Carolane Jones

1993 Sara Zeno

1994 Barbara Shadden

1993 Susan Russell

1994 Judith Womack

1994 Beth Eaton

1995 Kathy Roberts

1996 Dan Tullos

1997 Sharon Ross

1998 Mary Cherepski

1998 Beverly Hildebrand

1999 Martha Alman

2000 Donna Fisher

2002 Jane Willard

2003 Michael Winston

2004 Patti Martin

2005 Carol Fleming

2005 Kay Hall

2005 Brandi Nixon

2010 Susan Moss-Logan

2011 Betholyn Gentry

2014 Nancy Dunn

2015 James Thurman

Jim Thurman received the Honors of the Association in 2015 for being one of the most influential speech-language pathologist’s in the state of Arkansas. His contribution to the profession spans over 42 years. Through Mr. Thurman’s long standing presence at the University of Central Arkansas, he has taught and mentored hundreds of speech-language pathologists practicing in and out of our state. He is a certified Brain Injury Specialist who has worked on the weekends for the past 28 years at Timber Ridge Ranch. Under his supervision, numerous graduate students have provided diagnostic and treatment services for children and adults with head injuries at the TRR facility. This experience is unique and many students have commented that this is one of their favorite clinical sites. No doubt this is due to Mr. Thurman’s enthusiasm, passion, and commitment to these clients and their families.

Audiology Award - This award recognizes distinguished service by an audiologist.

1996 Patti Martin

1997 Ann Hedges

1998 Jane LeBlanc

1999 Cathy Henderson

2000 Jennifer Wedgeworth

2001 Laura Smith-Olinde

2002 Lynne Raney Hill

2003 Grover Hutson

2004 Donna Fisher Smiley

2006 Donna Fisher Smiley

2007 Becky Del Rio

2008 Lisa Christensen

2013 Jordan King

2014 Samuel Atcherson

Dr. Sam Atcherson received the Audiology Award in 2014 for his contributions to research, provision of consultative services, and publishing books and articles in the field of audiology. Carol Fleming had this to say, “he is the epitome of dedication and devotion to his career and clients. Sam empathizes and relates on a personal level and understands the clients because he is one too”. Dr. Atcherson has over 10 manuscripts and 14 articles that have been published in paper and/or electronic print. He recently published his second book “Auditory electrophysiology: A Clinical Guide”. Dr. Atcherson works to advocate on a professional and personal level for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing individuals. He is also the founding leader of a group of Deaf/Hard of Hearing audiologists.

Frank R. Kleffner Clinical Career Award - Nominees for this award should exhibit a distinguished career in speech pathology or audiology. Outstanding clinical career accomplishments that span a career may include, but are not restricted to, the following:

Outstanding clinical achievement with a client or group of clients

Outstanding clinical service or training program

Outstanding achievement in state, or local organization or government agency activity

Debbie Ware received the 2016 Frank R. Kleffner Clinical Career Award. Her clinical achievements began in San Diego where she worked for 16+ years in the San Diego Unified School District as an itinerant SLP, a special day class teacher, and a diagnostic resource teacher. She also participated in a 3 year multi-agency grant project that resulted in her being named the lead implementer on a team that opened the first pre-school classroom for children with Autism using evidenced based practice. Debbie currently works on the state-wide Easter Seals of Arkansas-Outreach Program as a consultant, heads up a two week-long summer training called Behavioral Approaches using STAR Implementation and Coaching (BASIC) and CONNECT-Evidence Based Practices to Classroom Curriculum, and is also a trainer for STAR Autism Support and travels the country training others about this curriculum for children with Autism.

Paula J. Gober Public Schools Award - This award recognizes distinguished clinical service by an individual in a public school setting.

1990 Charlotte Frith

1991 Dixie Branscum

1992 Jane Willard

1993 Marcia Harding

1994 Rhonda Kelley

1995 Suzan Bell

1996 Aleecia Starkey

1997 Becky Othold Del Rio

1998 Jennifer Fry

1999 Kathryn O’Brien

2000 Angie Shipman

2001 LeeAnn Griffith

2002 Renee Grady

2003 Susan Hickey

2004 Shelly Wier

2007 Janet Beaver

2008 Brandi Nixon

2009 Amanda Zraick

2010 Linda Wall

2011 Cindy Wofford

2012 Chenell Loudermill

2013 Carol Fleming

2015 Kamela Rowland

Kami Rowland received the Paula J. Gober Public School Award in 2015 for her dedication to researching treatments and strategies to meet the diverse needs of her students. As a former recipient of speech services, she relates to the struggles faced by her students and helps them achieve success in the classroom and community. Kami has developed a Peer Buddy System within Hall High School where she has worked for the past 18 years. She additionally has created student driven Social Stories to address code-switching and executive functions. Kami also promotes team teaching to meet the written expression needs of her students. Her research on the Strategic Instructional Model for Sentence Writing Strategies has improved the written expression skills of her students as noted by their performance in the classroom and on state standardized assessments. Everything Kami does is “student centered” and this comes from her ability to relate to her students and the importance to make an impact on their lives.

Louis M. Dicarlo Award for Clinical Achievement - The recipient will be chosen for advancement of knowledge in clinical practice as evidenced by a significant recent accomplishment within the past six years in speech-language and/or audiology.

Nominees for this award are not limited to any particular type of clinical achievement or activity. However, the achievement must be specific, well defined, and clearly within the time limit of the most recent six years. Eligible activities or accomplishments for which an individual might receive the DiCarlo award include, but are not restricted to, the following examples:

A single achievement with a client or group of clients

A specific clinical service or training program

A specific achievement in a state or local organization or government agency activity

A specific accomplishment in clinical teaching, research or administration

Krista Scruggs received the 2014 Louis M. DiCarlo Award for Clinical Achievement for her development of an adult aural rehabilitation program, expansion of a summer camp for teens with hearing loss, and provision of auditory-based intervention with Spanish speaking families. Krista is a key member of the Adult Cochlear Implant Program, which is a joint venture with Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the University at Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Krista has been a pioneer in the development of auditory performance testing as well as aural rehabilitation for our program. These developments have been sought after by other programs across the nation. In serving this population, Krista has also mastered the ability to facilitate improved auditory skills for patients suffering from dementia and other degenerative cognitive disorders.

Research Award - This award recognized individuals who have made significant contributions to the research literature related to the professions of speech pathology or audiology.

1996 Sharon Graham

1997 James Montague

1998 Robert Logan

1999 Patricia K. Monoson

2000 Richard Zraick

2001 Jess Dancer

2002 John Dornhoffer, M.D.

2003 Gary McCullough

2004 Nannette Nicholson

2010 Dee Lance

2011 Samuel Atcherson

2013 Richard Zraick

Dr. Cliff Franklin received the 2014 Research Award for his contributions to the literature in the areas of acceptance of background noise and audiometric threshold comparisons among pure, pulsed, and warble tones. He has pursued these two topics in order to help future hearing aid patients and improve our empirical understanding of our audiometric signal choices and guidelines. Dr. Franklin takes pride in working with his students, which helps to elevate them into clinicians with solid critical thinking abilities. He is also an effective mentor for students. Dr. Brian Vesley shares that “Dr. Franklin’s unique passion for research is extremely contagious to the students he instructs. His attention to detail and constant striving for perfection is paramount with his goals and research being centered around the betterment of clinicians, and the patients in which they serve”.

ArkSHA Ambassador - This award is to ecognize a special individual who may have made significant gains in therapy or overcome unsurmountable odds--someone who has inspired you, uplifted you and others, and reminded you why you are an audiologist or speech-language pathologist. Your special person could become ArkSHA’s Ambassador and represent our Association during Better Hearing & Speech Month—on a poster, in the newspaper, and at events celebrating May is Better Hearing & Speech Month.

2003 Joshua Fleming

2004 Heidi Courtway

2005 Heidi Courtway

2006 Justin Trautman

2006 Ethan Morris

2007 Donald Harrington

2007 Jerome Riley

2007 Matthew Prickett

2008 Keller Woody

2008 George Cobb

2010 Tatianna Mac Peek

2010 Judith Darnell

2011 Brandon Workman

2011 Fred Chilcote

2012 Chris Engelkes

2012 Addison Ferguson

2013 Darby McGee

2013 Abyl Chastain

2014 Evan Greenwood

2014 Quinn Moore

2015 Sam Atcherson, PhD, CCC-A

2015 Haven Blu McCormack

2016 Paige Dewey

Paige Dewey was chosen to represent the great state of Arkansas as the 2016 ArkSHA Child Poster Ambassador. She is a six year old who attends Eastside Elementary in Greenbrier, Ar. When Paige was three, she was diagnosed with a rare cancer, Stage 4 Yolk Sac Tumor. Even though the doctors successfully removed the tumor and Paige was deemed cancer free in March of 2013, the powerful chemotherapy that she had to take caused bilateral high frequency sensorineural hearing loss. Paige was fitted with hearing aids through ACH and continues to be carefully monitored through them and the EARS Program. Upon starting kindergarten in the fall of 2015, Paige was fitted with a personal FM System. In spite of her incoming test scores, she has made great gains and is near the top of her class and received a literacy award. Paige was recently named Student of the Month for the character word “perseverance”. She continues to amaze her teachers, parents, and her SLP. Paige inspires others to stay strong, focused and never give up.

Lifetime Achievement Award - An ArkSHA member may apply to the Membership Committee for Life Membership and be granted such Membership automatically when all the following conditions are met: Attainment of age 65, Retirement from full-time professional employment, Full Membership in the Association for five consecutive years immediately preceding application. A Life Member shall continue to enjoy all the rights and privileges of Full Membership but shall not pay dues.